William n



(No Model.)

W. N. RODGERS.

BUCKLE.

No. 438,242. I Patented Oct. 14, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM N. RODGERS, OF \VAVERLY, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR- OF TWO-THIRDS TO JOHN N. RODGERS AND HOWARD A. DAVIS, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,242, dated October 14, 1890. Application filed May 21, 1890. Serial No. 352,597- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM N. RODGERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waverly, in the county of Coffey and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles; andl do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in'the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in double-grip harness-buckles, and is more particularly intended for fastening the front ends of the traces or tugs to the breast-strap or hames, and also to add strength to chape-or side strap of halter or lines.

The object sought to be accomplished is to overcome the objections previously encountered in the use of double buckles andproduce a device which shall be cheap and simple in construction and can be readily manipulated, and at the same time effect the re sult of possessing twice the strength of an ordinary buckle, to hold the strap with double security.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete arrangement; Fig. 2, a similar view showing the position of the parts in the act of being unbuckled or buckled, and Fig. 3 a separate view of the buckle detached.

The buckle-frame consists of the long side bars A, the end cross-bar B, around which the breast or other strap is secured in the usual manner, the opposite end bar O, and the intermediate cross-bars D and E.

The free ends of the side bars A have raised port-ions or standards aprojecting from their upper faces, and the end bar 0 connects these standards, thus lying in a plane above that of the side bars, and opposite end barB. The intermediate cross-piece D is similarly arranged, connectingthe intermediate raised portions'b, erected from the side bars, and thus lying in the same plane as the outer raised cross-bar 0. Both these raised cross-piecesD and C are provided with the usual rollers d and c.

The other intermediate crossbar E is located between the raised pieces D and O,but

belowthem in the plane of the side bars and end bar B.

A pair of tongues F F, of the usual form, are pivoted, respectively, on the cross-barsB and E, and their outer ends rest on the rollers of the raised pieces D and C, respectively.

The preferred construction of my device having been set forth, I will next proceed to describe the method of applying it.

The end of the trace or strap G is inserted beneath the end bar 0 between the standards a, and pulled through until the third hole Q can be engaged by the tongue F. The trace end is next insert-ed beneath'the intermediate raised cross-piece D between the standards I), and then carried up between said piece D and the end bar B and pulled through to the position shown in Fig. 2, thus drawing the tongue F back to rest upon the intermediate raised piece D, and hence allowing the first hole h to be brought to a position in which the tongue F can be readily inserted. The trace or strap is next pulled back to the position shown in Fig. 1, with the tongues resting on the raised pieces D and O, and thus securely holding the strap.

To uncouple the parts the reverse operation will take place, the strap being first brought to the position shown in Fig. 2, when the tongue F can be released and next pushed back beneath the cross-barD and released in the ordinary manner from the outer portion of the buckle.

Among the advantages possessed by my arrangement might be mentioned the ease and readiness with which the strap can be fastened in the buckle and released from it, which will be apparent from the foregoing description of the application of the device, and which, it will be seen, is due to the fact of the tongues both being pivoted and both extending in the same direction.

Another advantage of this latter arrangement is that the strain on the buckle is equally borne by the two tongues as the latter extend on the same upward angle, and hence the third hole engaged by the first tongue will slide upon the latter until the first hole is tight on the second tongue, and thus an equal strain is borne by each tongue and a slight variation in the distance between the holes of the strap will not effect this result. Hence a stronger and more durable buckle is produced.

Having thus described my invention, What 5 I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a buckle, the combination of side bars, an end bar connecting the same, a tongue pivoted on said end bar, raised portions on said side bars, a cross-piece connecting said raised portions, and thus lying in a plane above that of the side and end bars, said pivoted tongue being arranged to rest at its free end upon said raised cross-piece, raised portions formed 15 on the outer end of the side bars, a crosspiece connecting said raised portions, and thus lying in the plane of said rear crosspiece, an intermediate cross-bar connecting the side bars between said raised cross-pieces, and a tongue pivoted on said intermediate crossbar and adapted to rest at its free end upon the raised end piece, as and for'the purpose substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

XVILLIAM N. RODGERS.

Witnesses:

O. F. ARTHUR, ISAAC PEARSON. 

